As the year comes to a close, I feel the need to blog about the things that motivate me. I recently read (somewhere) that 70% of people who start a workout plan quit. That bothers me for two reasons: 1. How are that many people giving up on themselves? 2. Why am I often part of that 70%?

If you have read my blog for any amount of time, you already know that I tend to have a lot of good ideas (I think, at least) and I have a lot of really good intentions. I am able to start a lot of projects, but the complication becomes actually completing the projects. Sometimes I earn my "incomplete" on my own, and other times it comes from somewhere else. In April, I was four months into my Half Ironman training plan when I was hit by a car which, and lets just say that derailed my training. I was frustrated because I wanted to work through the pain so I wouldn't lose what I had worked so hard for. I completed my race but I couldn't help but wonder how much better I would have been if I had not been knocked off my plan.

2016 has to be a year where I make myself a priority. I have said this year after year but always seem to fall off the wagon after a month and begin putting others needs before my own. (Sound familiar?) This coming year I have to stay focused. I have so much going on (some of which I don't want to publicly announce yet so I don't jinx anything)

Goals for 2016

This will be a loose list. . . Subject to change, but not due to failure.

Racing Goals

Compete in 2016 US Nationals Long Course DuathlonThis is a qualifier for the World Team. Depending on your rank in age group, you qualify for the World Team, which would be really neat. Unfortunately, USA Triathlon makes you pay your own way to World Championships and it is a hefty price, so the goal here is be a World Team Qualifier. After that, we will just see what happens.

Maryland Ironman 2016This really seems like an obvious goal since that's the new focus of this blog. My support team for this goal is HUGE. My family, friends, and Maryland 2016 Facebook group will be a huge motivator for this goal. I never thought I would have so much support for this. I also have doubters for this particular goal (Yes, I know who you are!) and I want to thank this important group of people too. You are a part of my success, believe it or not. On the days I wake up and just want to hit the snooze button (or just knock the alarm into next Tuesday) I will think about how you want to see me fail. Jumping back to the positive people - I appreciate your continued support. I hope to be able to bring a team of people up to Maryland with me for my October 1st race day! I can't tell you how excited I am about this! This goal will require some other sub goals (increasing speed in the water, on the bike, and on the run) but it's too much to outline here. Plus, do you really care??

Health Goal

Improve Myself From the Inside OutThis is something I started working on in 2015 and will continue into next year. In April of this year I gave up meat. Before that, the only meat I was eating was chicken, turkey, and occasionally pork. Something happened to me this year that made me say, "Okay, I'm done!" I like watching health documentaries, and I have several friends who are either vegetarian or vegan (I'm talking to YOU Charlotte and Stephanie!) and they inspired me to take the next step towards a less cruel diet. My goal for 2016 is to remove dairy from my diet by the end of the year. Just like anything else, slow change makes a permanent change. For me (at least) I have to take things away slowly so I don't really notice it. The hardest thing for me to give up was buffalo chicken and I will admit that I had a craving for it for a while. I realized at some point that what I was craving was the buffalo sauce! Well hell, I can put that on anything! I have watched other documentaries that mention that people don't really crave meat. What they crave is the flavor additives that we put on it. Most people would not crave meat if it was just boiled and no seasonings or other flavors were added. It makes total sense to me and helped me to break the habit. I have this weird 6th sense when I am at the grocery store. This is where you will think I am insane . . . When I walk past the meat section of the grocery store, I don't see slabs of meat. I see animals crawling out of the bins. Large cows and pigs screaming for help. I see the slaughter process. I see blood and I hear squeals. It is the weirdest sensation, but it happens every time. So you ask why I gave up meat? There is your answer.

Relationship Goals

Love Without ExpectationsToo often, I have expectations where I think things should look a certain way. I am 33 years old and have learned in my many years of dating, that each relationship, be it romantic or just simply a friendship, teaches us something different. I have found myself thinking twice in my life that I would marry the person I was with but that never happened. I am not sad because of this. Those relationships taught me more about myself than I could have learned alone. I look around and see people in relationships and sometimes wonder, "Why not me?" Then I realized something. Some of us are just too independent to be able to stay in a romantic relationship. That doesn't mean anything is wrong with me. It just means that I am able to stand on my own two feet. I have supportive friends who will stand by me when I need support. The next year will be about getting myself ready for Ironman which will I benefit from FRIENDS for than trying to balance the training with a relationship. It is a common phrase in the Ironman world that if your relationship doesn't fall apart, then you must not have trained hard enough. I laugh at this at first and then go, "My last relationship didn't survive a Half Ironman cycle." Although in all honestly, things fell apart not because of training.

Education Goal

Read MoreI have a habit of starting to read a book and (SHOCKER) not finishing it. This is actually for various reasons. Reading makes me very tired. As a child, I was a struggling reader and didn't enjoy it at all. My sister was the reading wizard and both my brother and I were left with the "I hate to read" gene. I have discovered that the type of books I like the most are athlete documentaries. At the same time, it took me several months to finish my Michael Phelps book. I think this is partly because I have a lot of responsibilities so when it comes to prioritizing things, these are often the things that get bumped. I put "read more" as an education goal because reading makes you more well rounded. . So I'm told. . .

Financial Goal

This might require taking on a second job. How sad is it that so many teachers have to take on a second job just to pay their bills? How can one job not be enough when you are responsible for the education of children, which ends up having a global impact?

Other Goals

Body ArtThey say tattoos are addictive. THEY are correct. I got one in July, one in October, and one in December. John says I have the Tattoo Bug. He is right. . . Brian says I am providing him job security. He is right. I recently starting making deals with myself like "Every 10 pounds lost will get me new art." This means that I could potentially get 3 more tattoos before reaching my goal weight. That is motivation!

For now, that is where things stand. I plan to check this post through out the year and keep track of my progress towards these goals.

That was the first 5 minutes of my morning. Fortunately, I had my running clothes already set out so it didn't require a whole lot of thinking. That's the thing with runners and triathletes (and I suppose other dedicated athletes as well) You just go through the movements of the morning, and before you know it you are outside running. Your body follows the mind, and your mind has to be in the right place or at least somewhat aware of what you are trying to do.

This is the golf course, which is not where we ran, but gives you an idea of the place.

So the plan was to meet some runners from the Go Run running group at Brook Valley to run a 5 mile loop. I'm more than able to do this distance so I was ready to challenge myself with the rolling "hills" in that neighborhood. I was the first to arrive (at 5:05am making me 10 minutes early which NEVER happens) I looked around and didn't see anyone so I had a slight panic thinking it was the wrong day or something. I turned up the music in my car, stepped out, and started doing some jumping jacks and plyometric exercises to get ready for the 5:15am start time. At 5:15 people started to show up. We started running at 5:25. Being that the sun doesn't come up until 7:15, I came armed with two lights. The first light is one I have used for a while. It is the Nathan Strobe Light. They come in different colors and have a flashing light that can be seen from far away. I have this light in pink, green, and yellow. The only problem I have with this light is that the batteries tend to not last very long. The other light I brought was my absolute favorite: The CYGOLITE Dash 320 which I got from the bike shop over the summer. (Click here for a video about it) Cars are totally confused when they see this light in strobe mode and want to move way over because they can't tell exactly what it is, they just know they don't want to hit it! I apply the same rules of riding as running: Run like you are invisible!

Finished running before the sun came up. I love it!!

So I ended up only running 3 miles with the group, as the continued pace started to be what I was doing my half mile speed intervals at a few days ago. Running is my weak sport and you can really do a lot of damage if you do too much too soon and don't check your ego. I decided to peel off from the group to not do any damage before my base plan even starts. It began to sprinkle a little but I love running in the rain. In fact, I often seek out the rain to run. (Flashbacks to running during a tornado warning and getting hit with hail a few years ago, although in my defense I thought it was just a thunderstorm and didn't check the news.) When I made it back to the car, I did some lunges and more plyometric exercises before getting in the car and heading home. As I drove, I started thinking about how I hated that I (once again) didn't finish something that I started. As I pulled into the parking lot of my apartment I wondered if Haro would entertain the idea of running another mile or so. I have been working on building her endurance and figured she might hang for at least a mile.

Haro doesn't like all the attention from the camera. She had a great run this morning!

Haro nailed it! I was so proud of her. It was a slight sprinkle and that didn't bother her one bit. Bud is a good little runner, but he fears pretty much everything which can make him unpredictable and a little frustrating to run with especially when it is raining. I love where I live, but certain times of the day/night can be a little shady so I wouldn't have even considered running alone. Haro has a certain look about her that keeps the wrong people away from me, and I am thankful to have her by my side. Bud isn't the slightest bit intimidating, so that is another reason I picked Haro to run with me over Bud. Plus, Bud is kinda lazy and was sleeping when I was ready to go. Before I knew it, we were coming around the corner at 2 miles. I hit my watch and said "Whew! We're all done Haro!" She looked at me like, "Oh, that's it?" I was proud that I had thrown down 5 miles, even if I had broken it into two workouts.

It didn't matter that I had to split the workout into two parts. What mattered was that I listened to my body ("This is too fast, too soon") and broke my workout up into manageable parts. It worked out for Haro too, as she is a maniac without exercise.

The plan for the rest of the day is to do one more workout (another T25 workout from BeachBody) and then maybe hit the bike trainer to stretch out my legs. It's going to be a good day. It may be raining, but it's going to be almost 80 degrees today. That feels like Merry Christmas in the tropics!

It is that time of year when everyone is working on resolutions for the next year. Not me.Resolutions always fail. Resolutions fail for most people because there is no plan to back it up. We also see January as a time where we need to make a change and there is so much hype and then by February you fall flat on your face. Plans fall flat because often times you are biting off more than you can chew. People will resolve to workout every day for 30 minutes, when they had no base to start with. After the first couple weeks we realize it's too much, so rather than adjust the plan or goal, we quit instead. Resolutions almost always revolve around one thing: Weight Loss. It takes time to change your body, and you must be KIND to yourself. I will explain that later.

This next year will be about doing what is right for my body. I have spent the last several months watching health documentaries which is one thing that motivates me to shop better at the store and continue to put one foot in front of the other. We all know the difference between right and wrong, and treating ourselves with kindness or ridicule. We can start out with a passion for health and wellness but then what happens when the passion begins to run out? Did right or wrong change? Of course not. At a recent staff meeting, my principal told us about a podcast he was listening to, and the man said just that: Eventually your passion for teaching may run out, but the difference between right and wrong never changes. His point? Right and wrong trump passion. You may start teaching with passion, but when that begins to go away, you know you still have to do what is RIGHT. This supports my point of treating yourself well. Resolutions are packed with a ton of passion, but when things get hard, we often walk away. Are you being kind to yourself by giving up on yourself?

We are given one body in this life. Treat yourself with respect. Don't fill your mouth with sugar and salt. Your body can't process it without hurting you. I read a while ago that sugar is up to 8 times more addictive than cocaine. (This is backed up in many places) That's why you cant just eat one cookie. (And if you can, please post some advice below!) Be kind to yourself. Diet pills are a dead end and could hurt you short term or long term. Watch your plate, move more. I know more than anyone that it is not always that simple, but looking at your plate is a huge indicator of what your body looks like both outside and inside. Sugar is addictive and offers no heath benefits, but does contribute to many health problems.

Meghan Trainor said it best, "I'm all about that bass. . ." This translates to training too. "Success is all about that base." A plan starts with base building which keeps you from hurting yourself. It starts you with a base in which you will slowly build week after week until the big race. Smaller races are often thrown in THOUGHTFULLY in order to reach peak performance by the time you do your "A" race.

Today I woke up and thought, "It starts today." I got out of bed, took the dogs for a walk, drank a glass of water, and put on Beachbody's T25 workout. I completed the first video called "Cardio". It is a program that I purchased just before summer vacation and was able to stick with for only a few weeks. Looking back, it was the passion that I lost. Also, a common problem I have is with consistency. I have been like this for as long as I can remember. I am easily bored and prefer to do my workouts outside, but I realized something today. I can still do T25 and do my other workouts, since my official plan for Ironman Maryland doesn't start until the beginning of April. Once Ironman workouts begin, I will not have much time to dedicate to supplemental workouts since everything in the IM plan will be so focused. Also, I don't want to burn out.

School is out until January 4th, so I am going to take the time from now until then to treat myself well, get focused on my health and wellness, and get ready to tear down some walls! The short term goal (which is a big one) is to drop my weight down to the next "tens" by the time school starts. Again, my plan from now until then includes consuming simple foods and moving more. In fact, as I write this, I am sitting in my workout clothes because I was so inspired write this while I was excited about it! I hope that my excitement to treat myself well will leap off the computer screen and inspire you to start doing something nice for yourself.

My best advice can be summed up this way: Surround yourself with people who support your goals and dreams. There will be haters, people who want to bring you down, and those who are jealous of your success. There are also people out there who want nothing but the best for you, those who will look past your flaws, and those who will be with you every step of the way. THOSE people are the ones who you need in your life.

This year might not have been the best year on record for me, as I can count only a handful of GOOD things that happened. Although the year was mostly marked with lowlights and sad events, I have been able to find strength in a place I never expected: Lee House.

I remember as a kid, looking at people with tattoos and thinking, "What in the world?" I couldn't understand why someone would want permanent art on their body. As I have grown up, I realize people get tattoos for many different reasons. Everyone's reason is personal, and no one is wrong for how they choose to express their joy, sadness, accomplishments, or other expressions of the self. My tattoos are all very personal to me and I find strength in them. It was after I got my second tattoo that I realized how much strength could come from art. When I expressed that on social media, needless to say I took some heat from some people. We all get our strength from different places and I don't believe one person is right over another person. To each, his own. Judge no one, embrace all. I'll get into that a little later. Here is a short background story for those interested in my art.

Ironman 70.3 7/13/15

Here is my very first tattoo. While training for Ironman Raleigh 70.3, I told myself if I completed the distance I would get a tattoo. There were times during that race that I wanted to throw in the sweaty towel and just say I was finished. But I kept thinking, "I don't want to start all this training over again to try to get that tattoo." I already knew what I wanted as far as tattoos went, and now I just had to finish what I started. It wasn't until about a month after crossing the finish line that I actually got the tattoo. My friend, John, gave me the name of a local artist who had an amazing resume. I looked at some of his work, and some of the clients he has had in the past and told John to set up at appointment as soon as possible! His name is Brian Lee and he is the owner of a place called Lee House Art Studio and Custom Tattoo.

My tattoo is simple but meaningful. The M-Dot is half filled since I did a Half Ironman. The idea was that I would fill it in the rest of the way when I complete a Full Ironman, which I of course have signed up for. It was meant to motivate me to work harder towards a full and it has worked! In the summer, my tattoo was visible since I wore nothing but shorts and skirts all summer. It started conversations with people and was a way to silently say, "Hey, did you know I'm a badass?"

The chainring around the M-Dot is significant because cycling is my strongest of the three disciplines in triathlon, and the joke too is that I never seem to ride without getting a "tattoo" of the chainring on my leg. What is also important about this particular chainring, is that it has the same number of teeth on it as the small ring on my bike, Monsoon. It's all about the details!

Tribute #1 10/15/15

"So Brian, I have an idea. . . " is how the conversation started.

I got my second tattoo in October. I knew that I wanted something as a tribute to Justus. I looked online at different ideas so I was able to go in with a general idea of what I wanted. I wanted something unique, and one that couldn't be duplicated. I showed Brian two ideas and told him that I wanted to sorta blend the two concepts. The silhouette inside the paw is none other than Justus. It was made using a picture of Justus in the snow. I am a pretty open person and I am open to different ideas and concepts so when Brian asked how I felt about adding color instead of just black, I said, "I trust you completely, and whatever you think will look best, I'm on board!" Once again, I was impressed with the result. Every time I see this tattoo in the mirror, I smile. I've had people comment that the tattoo is pretty big. My response, "Go big, or go home!" The colors are absolutely gorgeous! It hurt like hell, and I probably dropped the F bomb a few dozen times. When Brian finished, I looked in the mirror and wanted to cry. Justus, my guardian angel, was forever etched on my shoulder. My reason for putting it on my shoulder is because when I started running half marathons, I used to put temporary tattoos on my shoulders, to pull in the spirit of dogs in the past, who would push me forward when I wanted to give up in the race. This tattoo gives me an incredible amount of strength. When I want to stop, give up, quit, go to bed, or whatever, I think about Justus on my shoulder telling me I can keep going, that I am strong, that I can push through anything. Now, this you see, is where things get a little controversial. I posted this picture of me in the bathroom mirror, and the caption was something along the lines of "my tattoo gives me strength. . ." which was met with responses I didn't expect. My tattoo suddenly opened up a conversation about religion which then publicized my views on religion. I don't hide my views, but tend to keep them private, as I do not follow a certain standard religion. Long story short, I believe in doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do and not necessarily because a spiritual guide tells me so. I believe in helping others (human or animal) no matter where they come from. I believe I have good morals and it should not matter what religion I do or do not follow. Regardless, the conversation of strength got a little out of control. Oh well, what are you going to do? Again, don't judge me for what I do or don't believe. Judge me on who I am as a person, and my impact on the world around me. Okay, I'm done explaining myself here. . . Let's move on to the third tattoo, shall we?

Tribute #2 12/15/15

"Hey Brian! So I was thinking. . . "

Before I got the last tattoo, I got on Pinterest and looked at other ideas people had for animal tattoos. I came across something similar and once again came to Brian with an idea that was open to suggestions. Brian has a great eye for art (obviously) and details. If you look at the paw print, you will notice that it is an upside-down heart. The dog in middle is once again an outline of Justus. It is perhaps not as obvious as the silhouette from the paw print, but I can see it! The message is that my heart is connected to not just Justus, but all dogs. Without dogs, I lose my heart. With dogs, I am a survivor.

Today, while at work I kept looking at it and thought, "I bet I could do something to wrap this all the way around my wrist." I stopped by the shop on my way home from work and said, "So while I was at work today I started to have this idea. . . " and the conversation went from there. One reason I decided to get this tattoo now instead of later was because I will start swimming again in January as part of base training, and when you get a tattoo, you have to stay out of public water for about two weeks, for obvious reasons.

Where things go from here, I do not know. What I DO know is that my tattoos give me strength and confidence. You cannot put a price on that. I have Lee House listed on the side of my blog as part of "My Support Team" because it is the only place I will go for art. I am also loyal to those who support my crazy ideas. Brian said he is ready to see the first tattoo filled in next year! The tentative plan is to have the rest of the red filled in during my recovery week after the race. With strength, will, and confidence (and a support team) anything is possible. Surround yourself with those who support your goals. And don't forget one last piece of advice from the tattoo shop:

It is official: I will be racing my first FULL Ironman on October 1st, 2016 in Maryland. I signed up this week after hearing rumors that it was close to selling out (which still hasn't been confirmed, but it's better to sign up than to regret missing it later.) I have been part of the Ironman Maryland Facebook group since the summer. I joined the group as I tried to decide which race to do. Each race has it's perks and pitfalls. The only thing that worries me some about this race is the jellyfish in the Choptank River. But, I figure that since I will be at the back of the pack for the swim, everyone else should take the stings! I'm excited that the bike course is flat, since living in Greenville lends itself well to training for a flat course.

When I registered this past week, I did not feel the anxiety that most people probably do when they sign up for a 140.6 mile event. I know the training will be hard, I will probably cry at times, and there will be times that I will want to change my mind about the whole thing.

But that's the thing about Ironman: It wasn't meant to be easy. In fact, I think it is mean't to break you, but it wont break me. Even this early in the game, I have people questioning me if I am ready for the commitment. I just look at them and say, "I wouldn't have spent $746.00 on a race that I wasn't sure I could do." This is the point where their jaw drops at that figure. Yes, Ironman is expensive. Yes, it is a crazy idea. Yes, I will do it.

As I sat at my computer and got ready to hit "REGISTER" I stopped for a moment. I closed my eyes and thought of the promise I made to Justus on September 11th, 2015. As I cried tears into his fur in his last moments, I told him that I would "do the damn thing" and do an Ironman in 2016. I told him I would make him proud. I told him I knew he would be behind me every step of the way. So before I hit the button to make it official, I grabbed a picture of Justus, kissed his little face, turned his photo toward the computer, took a deep breath and clicked the button. I set the picture down and leaned back. I felt at peace with my decision. Even a few days later I am thinking, "Why do I have to wait until October!?!?" Ironman is about the journey, not just the destination. My training plan starts six months out from race day. I will complete a training plan to get myself ready for the volume that will begin at the beginning of April. I am determined to make 2016 a completely different year from 2015.

In the meantime, I will try to take the next few weeks to enjoy time with friends, stay up late, and enjoy life before settling into the long road ahead of Ironman training. Am I ready? Damn right, I am!

So here I am at my favorite place in the world, drinking my new favorite drink. Well, more like a twist on an old favorite. I recently became more aware of the sadness behind factory farming, and the impact that animal products have on our body. Now I'm no hippie, but I do appriciate our animal friends and I don't want to have a part in their suffering. Like any change in a diet, you have to remove things slowly in order to stay consistent and not do too much too soon. So I started by becoming more aware of how many animal products I consume in a day. I then started looking at easy alternatives. Milk has been the easiest so far. In the summer I switched almost completely from dairy milk to almond milk. I have recently discovered coconut milk, and now I am completely transitioned to it over dairy milk. But what about Starbucks? Well, they recently discovered coconut milk within the last year or so. So I tried my old favorite, the Green Tea Latte, with coconut milk and half of the classic syrup. The result? A delicious, cruelty free drink.

But tonight I discovered something while I sipped. My red cup is a reflection on my life right now. Sounds crazy doesn't it? Hear me out. . .

When the red cups came out, everyone was up in arms (because we all love to complain) about how plain the cup was. This is proof we have nothing to complain about when we are mad at a plain red cup (unless it's of course an empty red Solo cup, but who wouldn't be mad about that?) In the past, Starbucks has always had beautiful winter themed cups, which most people confuse with being a Christmas cup, which is also proof that not only do we have nothing to complain about, but we are also self centered in our beliefs but THAT is for another day.

So this year I have not at all been feeling like Christmas. In fact, when I hear Christmas music, I cry. Last night at the grocery store I thought I was going to have a panic attack as music was playing loudly over my head. I have never been super crazy about Christmas, but I have at least always enjoyed the season and the excitement of being with loved ones. This year I feel depressed, empty, sad, and lifeless when it comes to Christmas. I want it to be over because I find it too painful without my four footed friend. I cry every time I think about it. Yes, I am the girl at Starbucks in the corner with tears in her eyes, thinking about a little brown dog. Yep, that's me. I have headphones in, listening to rock music to drown out the Christmas music in Starbucks.

So how does this relate to my red cup? Apparently we are both not feeling cheerful or Christmas-y. I feel like I get it now. I never had a problem with the cup to begin with, but now that I think about it, it makes sense to me. #IamTheRedCup.

I swear I'm not drunk. Not yet at least. But Christmas might be another story. . . I'll be honest, my plan is to trespass onto a state park on Christmas Day and hike until I can't take another step because I am so tired. I'm not one to try to solve my problems with alcohol. My pattern is to deal with it through exercise and some rediculous endurance event. Remember, I am signing up for a full Ironman in 2016, partly to deal with the loss of this year.

Well that was the last sip. An empty, red cup. . . Time to hit the road and get some snuggles with Haro and Bud.

One of my favorite things about this time of the year is spending time with family. A few years ago, my dad and I started a tradition of doing a LONG bike ride on the day after Thanksgiving. Neither of us are all that interested in Black Friday sales, so it works. On that Friday afternoon we took our bikes out to Anderson Pointe in Raleigh, NC and rode exactly 40 miles. I love being able to share this experience with my dad, who is the person who really introduced me to sports when I was a kid. Thankfully this year the weather was much better than last year. We were treated to 70 degree weather, which was WAY different from last year where we were lucky if it was in the 40s (not to mention it was raining) I think last year we rode 36 miles. I was nearly frozen when we got back to the car, so this was a welcomed change!

Falls Lake!

The most difficult part of this ride is just before you arrive at the Falls Lake Dam. You have to dismount the bike and climb up a VERY steep hill with lose gravel. My bike, Monsoon, was carried up the majority of the hill. Partly to make it a little easier to manage, and partly (or maybe mostly) to get my heart rate up. I love having a bike I can throw over my shoulder and start booking it up a hill.

Backing up just a tad... Before I started up the hill, I was stopped by a park worker who was admiring my bike. "That's quite the machine you got there!" He asked how far I planned to ride and I said, "Well, right now I'm at 18 miles but the plan is 40 miles today." I always hope it never comes across as either bragging or sarcasm. He just looked at me like I was insane. I can understand that because I remember as a kid thinking a mile on a bike was a long way. Now, I can barely get to a safe place to ride after a mile. Anyway, I told him I had only had the bike since April and mentioned my bike accident. I like being able to take my unfortunate incident as an opportunity to educate others on road safety.

This bike ride, however, was not without its adventure. At about mile 28, my dad said, "Hey, lets take this turn and see where it goes." Where it went to over something sharp which gave him a flat tire!! Fortunately, I had a TON of experience over the summer fixing flats at Babits Bikes, where I worked over the summer. I fixed his tire in no time and we were back on the pavement! Speaking of flat tires, have you ever heard of the magic stuff called Mr. Tuffy's? Allow me to educate you . . . Tire liners will save you from flats! After finding myself at the bike shop every week with a flat, I was introduced to Mr. Tuffy's Tire Liners which I recommend to anyone who rides ANYWHERE. They are a thick strip that fits between your tube and tire and protects your thin, dedicate tube from road debris like glass, thorns, nails, and anything else sharp. When I worked at the shop over the summer, I recommended them to anyone who came in with a flat tire and anyone who bought a new bike. In my opinion, they are about as important as a helmet! Not to seem dramatic, but imagine going down a hill and your front tire pops! Hope you got your helmet on!! Tire liners will help prevent the accident to begin with, which is why I say they are a MUST HAVE. Check out your local bike shop and pick some up. They run about $18-$22, depending on your tire size. I am happy to help you with sizing or any questions, just post them below!

Monsoon, dressed in a CycleOps Mag trainer and climbing block!

So now it is December and the days are getting shorter and colder, so the days of riding outside are becoming less and less. Enter, the trainer. The trainer is to a rider as the treadmill is to a runner. It's torture. However!!! They serve an important purpose too. The trainer allows you to use your own bike to train miles in the winter. This is unlike how a stationary bike would work. Yes, you can work on cardio, but your body position is different on your bike and a stationary bike. While thinking about Ironman Maryland 2016, I am pushed to work hard on the trainer this winter so that when the weather permits, I can go out and kill it on the road! This was also a purchase made at Babits Bikes in Greenville, NC. I am super thrilled with my decision to get this trainer. John has been awesome with supporting me in the cycling department of triathlon. Nothing helps you more than having an expert in each discipline of triathlon. I sometimes have an idea for what I want, which I tell John what I want and what my goals are, and then he takes that and gives me a BETTER idea, and more direction with things. He deserves a lot of credit for helping me with cycling, even though he doesn't think he does. I know most of what I know about cycling, thanks to him. ​

Winter break is coming up in less than two weeks and I am looking forward to taking some time to do some hiking with Haro and Bud (my two little dogs). I will admit that I am rather depressed this Christmas. I have not hung a single decoration in my apartment, and honestly I start to tear up when I think about Christmas, because this is the first year I will not have Justus. You may think he is just a dog, but to me he was my heart and soul. I had Justus for over 10 years and everything is different without him. I just want to get to January 2016 and make things different next year. 2015 will definitely be a year of ups and downs, highlights and heartbreaks, new beginnings and tough endings. I just wiped tears away after writing this. . .

It's like Dory said in Finding Nemo. . . "Just keep swimming," Then again, she couldn't remember anything. But regardless, I will try to take her advice. Until the next post. . .